Halo Collar vs. Invisible Fence: Which GPS Dog Collar is Better?
With every year that goes by, it’s become increasingly important to keep your pets safe. Whether you live rurally or travel often, pet owners everywhere are searching for cost-effective solutions to keep their beloved furballs close to home. Pets are like family, and we should treat them as such. But unfortunately, the world is only getting more dangerous, so it’s time to take action and invest in a preventative solution before it’s too late! Enter GPS dog collars—today, we’re comparing two of the biggest in the game, Halo Collar and Invisible Fence.
Obviously, you shouldn’t risk your pet’s safety — or a precious paycheck — on a product that doesn’t work. The most effective safety products for outdoor pets are all-in-one electronic collars and wireless fencing solutions, such as Halo Collar and Invisible Fence. But which product is the best option? Is their technology reliable? What about ease of use and affordability? Don’t fret! We’ve detailed everything in this head-to-head comparison piece.
Overview: Halo Collar vs. Invisible Fence
Halo Collar
Halo Collar, co-founded by renowned dog behavioralist Cesar Millan, is a product of four parts: the Collar, the App, the Training Program, and the Bluetooth Beacons. From the flexible fit smart collar to Cesar Millan’s custom training program, Halo’s cutting-edge GPS technology provides an all-in-one solution to address every area of your pup’s protection. And the best part? You can own the “world’s safest smart fence system” starting at just $4.49 per month, plus a one-time fee for their Wireless Dog Fence and GPS Collar bundle.
Invisible Fence
The Invisible Fence is the traditional solution for free-roaming pets, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best. Similar to Halo Collar, Invisible Fence uses an electronic collar and fencing system to protect your pet. However, it relies on an “insulated cable buried around your property” to work. Sure, this method might make pet owners feel more secure than a fully digital system, but the price isn’t very friendly. The installation alone can cost an average of $1,200 depending on the size of your yard, including the $375 collar, intrusive boundary flags, and replaceable Power Caps.
Simplicity and Usability
There are already hundreds of products pet owners have to vet for their dogs, and throwing another complicated product into the loop isn’t very appealing. In addition, many dog owners prefer a do-it-yourself product over something that requires laborious installation. And that doesn’t include all the hidden fees that could go along with hiring someone else to do it!
Halo Collar is unique because the product is 100% user-based. The Halo app is “your hub for everything Halo,” allowing users to create up to 20 wireless fences. You heard that right: it’s completely wireless! That means you don’t have to rely on people sitting in offices to make the Halo Collar work; instead, the Halo Collar works for you. The Halo app — paired with their newest GPS dog collar, the Halo 2+ — allows users to set up wireless dog fences, access training courses, customize preferences, and tune into real-time safety updates anytime, anywhere. Keeping your dog safe has never been easier!
As the older brand of the two, Invisible Fence’s product hinges on burying a wire cable into your backyard, thus creating the “invisible” fence. Rather than GPS signals, Invisible Fence uses radio frequencies to operate correctly. While the product sounds similar to Halo’s, it requires intensive (and expensive) installation that most people can’t do themselves. Before even considering using their product, an Invisible Fence representative must take time to scope out your home, your yard, your budget, and your pooch. Then, they send in “installation experts” to dig up your garden, lay the cable, and plant Invisible Fence-branded flags to mark the fence’s perimeter. And because professionals bury a line under the ground, there’s no opportunity for “on-the-go” pet protection.
Price and Affordability
One thing can make or break if a consumer is willing to entertain the idea of a product: affordability. Consumers will check the price tag before knowing how a product works. Sure, a high-tech GPS dog collar might be life-changing, but it doesn’t matter if the consumer can’t afford it.
Halo Collar understands that every consumer wants (and deserves) to know the price of whatever product they’re thinking of purchasing, which is why they are up-front about cost. For the Halo Collar 2+, they offer a flat fee for every customer. And when it comes to operating their cellular-based app, consumers can choose how much they want to pay monthly to use the system. Every Halo customer will pay the discounted price of $699 for their newest collar.
As for their monthly subscription, there are three options: the Basic Plan, the Silver Plan, and the Gold Plan. The Basic Plan costs just $0.15 daily, ringing in at $4.49 per month. This plan is the most cost-effective and includes improved GPS accuracy compared to the early version of the collar, data storage, basic tracking, Cesar Millan-verified training modules, unlimited cellular data, and up to 20 automatic fencing options.
The Silver Plan costs $0.33 per day ($10 monthly). It includes customizable customer support, custom beacon ranges, activity tracking charts, and the ability to “communicate with your dog manually — even without a nearby fence” on top of every Basic Plan feature.
The Gold Plan is the most expensive at $1 per day ($30 monthly). Still, it includes the most support features of the previous plans, including “NEW premium training lessons released each month,” live training sessions, and Q&A events with experts. Also, with their mess-free financing options, the Halo Collar is the frugal dog lover’s dream.
Where Halo is up-front with their prices, the money required for the Invisible Fence is much more of a guessing game. The Invisible Fence website states, “Our Pet Consultants consider a variety of factors when quoting electric pet fence cost – including the cost to install Invisible Fence, the number of pets on the system, the size of your property, and which technology is best for your yard.” So good luck guessing what it could cost ya!
At every turn, the Invisible Fence website directs you to consult with representatives for pricing options. But not everyone has the time or patience to negotiate what it’s worth to keep their dogs safe, especially when the accessories alone can reach up to $350! We did some digging to find out the average cost of the Invisible Fence — including everything from the consultation and installation to the training. For most people, it clocks in at around $1,200. Unfortunately, that’s just an average. If you own more than 2 acres of land, we can’t even imagine the damage that could do to your wallet… $2,000 at least!
Safety and Technology
Next to price, making sure the product’s technology is safe takes top priority. Consumers are already concerned for their pets off-leash, so these products that claim to “protect pets” better be safe themselves!
Luckily, Halo prides itself on safety. For example, they smartly point out that “other ‘smart’ fences notify you after your dog is unsafe,” which defeats the purpose of installing a wireless dog fence in the first place. On the other hand, Halo “developed an advanced suite of smart solutions” that prevents disasters and protect your pets in real-time.
It all starts with the Halo Collar. This flexible-fit, adjustable collar is both comfortable and fully customizable. The Halo Collars are designed “with a wide range of sound, vibration, and optional static prompts to choose from.” So if you’re not a fan of shocking your dogs like many other electronic collars, you don’t have to! Even more impressive, Halo’s GPS technology is usable anywhere “whether your pup is inside your home, in your yard, or on the go.” As long as you have access to cellular data and their On-the-Go Beacons, Halo’s always working to keep your pet safe.
Not only is the Halo Collar technology safe and comfortable, but it includes peace-of-mind features for the particularly anxious dog lover. On the Halo app, you can set your dog’s profile to your preferred collar, which coordinates with LED lights on their collar. These LEDs can light up at your command for added “nighttime visibility” anywhere you go.
Invisible Fence’s technology relies on old-school radio frequencies and easily damaged wire cables. The Invisible Fence Computer Collar Receiver transmits signals to the primary Control Panel located in your home to keep the wire fence running. This Panel creates the Signal Field “represent[ing] your pet’s protective boundary.” Keep in mind that your dog isn’t protected whenever a wire is cut or damaged (often when it’s improperly installed). Then you’ll have to wait for a professional to schedule an appointment, travel to your home, and re-install the cable for your pet to be safe again.
Aside from their barely customizable technology, you will have to rewire and re-flag your property with each new pet you adopt. Also, Invisible Fence’s primary pet training requires “static correction,” which is just a fancy term for “shock collar.” They admit that static correction could be uncomfortable for pets when they first start training, and not every pet owner is comfortable with that technology. That’s why the Halo Collar does minimal “static correction” training, making it completely optional for each customer.
Training
Like dogs, consumers are loyal to a T – and they’d rather spend more time playing over hours of rigorous training. Leading dog behavioralist Cesar Millan designed Halo’s 21-day training program. His verified “boundary training” program is holistic by design, which is “more effective than any other” program because he keeps dogs’ unique behaviors in mind. Plus, he guarantees that you can train your dog and master the 4-step Halo system in under a month!
After you master Halo training, enjoy real-time activity tracking on the Halo app. Daily, weekly, and monthly tracking provides vital information about your pooch’s outdoor activity. From cataloging how much time your dog spends resting to documenting whenever they come close to a GPS boundary, Halo leaves no box unchecked regarding your pet’s safety.
As with any electronic fencing system, the Invisible Fence requires training for your pets to avoid the cable boundary. Expert pet trainers and behavioralists allegedly design their program titled the Perfect Start Plus Training Protocol; however, it’s unclear how, when, or who will train your pets. While pet owners can take control of Halo training, the Invisible Fence system requires outside trainers to teach each of your pets individually. From what we could gather from their website, the Perfect Start training is conducted on your schedule and at your home. Still, it’s not necessarily done by you, someone your pets already trust.
Final Verdict: Which GPS Dog Collar is Better, Halo Collar or Invisible Fence?
In summary, these two products contain your pets in digital “fences” through training, “smart” collars, and tracking technology. But which product is better — Halo Collar or Invisible Fence?
With all of this in mind, it’s clear that Halo’s 4-Step safety solution is the better wireless dog fence. From their intuitive GPS App technology to the Cesar Millan-approved DIY training regime, the Halo Collar is every pet lover’s best bet for a cost-effective electronic fencing solution. Not only does the Halo Collar prioritize your peace of mind, but they promise to keep your pooch safe and sound above all else.
So, what are you waiting for? Try out the Halo Collar today!
